


Kissing is not required.

by MorganeUK



Series: The Doctor & the Librarian [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: 221B is John's flat, Alternate Universe, Chatting & Messaging, Doctor John Watson, Gen, Librarian Sherlock, Sherlock Being Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 03:31:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11477727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganeUK/pseuds/MorganeUK
Summary: Looking desperately for an information about a disease Doctor John Watson contacts the online help desk of the Oxford University Library...





	Kissing is not required.

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The secret library](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11473971) by [MorganeUK](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganeUK/pseuds/MorganeUK). 



> The series is now finished!
> 
> Each story can be read independently I think,,, but it's better to read them in order :-)
> 
> Thank you to notjustmom for the beta-ification, you're the best as always :)

It was the end of the day and John was leaving the ICU, happy to go home after a 10 hour shift, when he heard a colleague call his name.  _Shit… I was leaving!_

"Yes, how can I help you, Doctor Churchill?" He tries to appear as professional as possible, even though he was exhausted, as one of the other ICU docs was walking swiftly towards him.

"I know you're leaving John, but I've got a something that I would like you to check for me... I know you can help me with this!" The doctor hands him a patient file bursting with notes, forms and the results of many procedures. Impressed by the share volume of the files, John sighs. "What's all this?" he asks, opening the files on a nearby desk. "We don't have a clue... That's the problem! We ran the symptoms in different databases; consulted specialists in various fields all without any results! The patient is clearly in pain and his blood vessels are... damaged." Churchill was overwhelmed and unable to help his patient whose kidneys were declining rapidly.

"What can I do? It looks like you've done everything possible!" John was willing to assist, but he didn't think he could find anything new.

His name was called by a nurse. "A new set of eyes, that's all I ask!" the other doctor was looking at John hopefully. "This is a copy, you can take it home if you want... If you find something contact me!" then he runs back to follow the nurse to another patient.

The file in hand, he walks to the St. Paul tube station. Once he was in the car, he nearly dozes off.  _I am so tired and hungry... That's not even funny...I hope that Ms. Hudson will have put something to eat in my fridge._ Ms. Hudson, his landlady, was always helping him with the chores like cooking a nice meal or vacuuming the flat. She constantly reminds him that she wasn't his "housekeeper" but she was truly fond of John and she couldn't help from doting on him. Half an hour after he left the hospital, he was finally home. Putting the heavy file on the kitchen table, he collapses on the sofa with his coat and shoes on and falls asleep instantly...

Two hours later, he emerges from his nap. Opening the fridge, he silently thanks Ms. Hudson as a shepherd’s pie was waiting for him. After he warms up his supper, John sits at the table to look over the file. He reads all the notes, checks the lab results... To sum up the situation, it was as if the patient's blood cells were at war. Not good... not good at all... But somewhat familiar!  _I've seen that somewhere, I've read about that!_ Walking over to his small personal library, he quickly realizes that it wasn't in one of his medical journals, perhaps it was an article online? Opening his laptop, he starts to search the symptoms without a result. He then visits Bart's library web site, but he wasn't able to access the journal he wants.  _Hum... Let go where the money his then..._ Accessing Oxford University Library web site, he quickly finds they have the highly specialized medical journal he needs. Clicking on the journal, an error message appears asking for an Oxford username.  _Damn!_  But as he was giving hope, he saw a link to an online help line 'Talk to a librarian'.  _Maybe someone will have pity on me! I just want to check if the article I'm looking for is in this journal..._ He clicks on the link and waits a few minutes before a message box pops up in his browser.

 

Help desk: How can I help you?

Guest: Hi! You're up late, great! I mean... I wasn't certain that someone would still be there in the evening not everyone has crazy hours like us.

Help desk: I am not supposed to do so, but as it is really slow in the library tonight I've decided to login to the help desk system.

Guest: No books to reshelve? I admit it must be tedious to do so all day long...

Help desk: You do know that librarians have a Master degree in Information Science and hardly ever put books on the shelves or play with that annoying blipping laser gun at the front desk? Do you want to talk to a clerk instead? I'm sure I can find one sleeping somewhere; I could wake him up for you.

Guest: No, no, sorry, that was uncalled for. I certain that you're the best one to help me! I'm John btw.

Help desk: btw?

Guest: By the way...

Help desk: It's not quicker if you have to explain it you know.

Guest: Sorry, again, what's yours?

Help desk: Mine?

Guest: Your name!

Help desk: Oh... William. What can I help you with (...) John?

Guest: Right. I'm looking for an article.

Help desk: And...

Guest: It is probably in "Blood cells, molecules, & diseases", in one of the issues from the last two years but I can't recall which one. I saw a reference for it in NEJM.

Help desk: You do know that we have this journal online, just search the A-Z list.

Guest: Yeah... the problem is that I'm not connected as an Oxford user so I can't access the title.

Help desk: It's easy; you just need to put your little code in the little box. (...) A doctor should be able to do so...

Guest: The problem is that I'm not studying or working at Oxford. (...) And how do you know I'm a bloody doctor?

Help desk: So you're really a doctor, not in hematology obviously... Hum. ICU?

Guest: How do you know that!

Help desk: You asked about a highly specialized journal that was cited in a generic medical journal... A specialist would have found the citation directly in Blood Cells. You've probably have a subscription to the NEJM at work... Most  clinics can't afford such journals, so a hospital. And you talked about the late hours. Why would a doctor in a hospital search for something about blood without being a blood specialist: ICU.

Guest: I'm speechless... It's fantastic!

Help desk: That's not what people write usually.

Guest: lol What do they usually write?

Help desk: 'Piss off' followed by 'Can I speak with someone else?' This is why I don't usually do this. (...) lol?

Guest: Laugh out loud. It's when you think something is funny.

Help desk: OK... So sorry but I can't help you with your articles. They are available only to Oxford students, staff or alumni.

Guest: You are my last resort :-( I'm trying to find something to help a fellow doc with the diagnosis of a patient.

Help desk: What are the symptoms?

Guest: What?

Help desk: I hate repeating myself but... What are the symptoms?

Guest: Really? Cells along blood vessel walls are damaged. Platelets are overactive. Blood clots in tiny blood vessels all over the body. It causes inflammation and damage to internal organs.

Guest: But you don't have to look for me... If you can make an exception and email me the tables of content of the last 2 years I will found it I'm certain...

Guest: (...) William?

Help desk: Sorry about the delay. You were looking for the atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS)

Guest: Oh God! It's that, aHUS! I could kiss you! I will contact my colleague right now.

Help desk: I'm happy to have been of assistance, kissing is not required.

Guest: I owe you one; contact me next time you're coming to London! My phone number is 020 7946 0338 and 

(Help desk is disconnected)

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is a real disease :-( http://www.ahussource.com/Patient/What-Is-AHUS
> 
> And 'William' it's not an error... Sherlock is too peculiar, so he decided to give the more discreet William instead.
> 
> *
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I don't know, maybe I could change that in a series? What do you think? (Yep, going for a series, stay tune!)


End file.
